Palm Oil Research Articles

Development and Molecular Characterization of a Sequence Characterized Amplified Region (SCAR) Marker for the Identification of Hybrid Oil Palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.)

Development and Molecular Characterization of a Sequence Characterized Amplified Region (SCAR) Marker for the Identification of Hybrid Oil Palm (<i>Elaeis guineensis</i> Jacq.)

Prediction and Analysis of the Global Suitable Habitat of the Oryctes rhinoceros (Linnaeus, 1758) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) Based on the MaxEnt Model.

The Asiatic rhinoceros beetle, Oryctes rhinoceros (Linnaeus, 1758) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), is a destructive invasive species that poses a serious threat to palms, oil palms, and other plants. Defining a suitable area for the distribution of O. rhinoceros is essential for the development of appropriate policies and preventive measures. In this work, the MaxEnt niche model and ArcGIS software were used to predict the potential geographic distribution of O. rhinoceros in the world based on occurrence data and related environmental variables and to speculate on the influence of environmental variables on the distribution of O. rhinoceros. The results showed that the suitable areas of O. rhinoceros beetle were mainly distributed in 30° N-30° S, and the highly suitable areas were concentrated in South Asia, East Asia, Southeast Asia, and northern Oceania. The key environmental variables that determine the distribution location of O. rhinoceros are Precipitation of Wettest Month (bio13), Temperature of July (tmin7), Minimum Temperature of November (tmin11), and Precipitation of September (prec9). The prediction results of the MaxEnt model can reflect the global distribution of O. rhinoceros. This study can provide a theoretical basis for the prevention and control of O. rhinoceros and the development of relevant quarantine measures.

Turning waste into strength: Enhancing geopolymer composites with Oil Palm Frond Fibers (OPF)

Geopolymers are alternatives to ordinary Portland cement as construction materials. The increasing demand for sustainable construction materials has driven the utilization of industrial by-products and agricultural waste. The disposal of oil palm frond (OPF) biomass as waste in landfills poses significant environmental challenges, necessitating effective recycling strategies. This study examines the incorporation and feasibility of OPF as a reinforcing fiber in fly ash geopolymer composites, examining its impact on physical and mechanical properties. Various parameters were tested, including fiber content (10–20 wt.%), shapes (shredded and tubular), and lengths (1–3 cm). The geopolymer composites with 10 wt.% shredded oil palm frond and 1-cm tubular oil palm frond fibers enhance the compressive strength by 17% compared to the control sample without oil palm frond. The shredded oil palm frond was particularly effective, enhancing strength performance and achieving better dispersion within the geopolymer matrix. Conversely, increasing the fiber content and length generally resulted in diminished composite strength, attributed to the creation of a more porous structure and weaker fiber-matrix interactions. However, lower fiber additions were shown to decrease porosity and water absorption, highlighting the potential of optimized oil palm frond fiber content and form in improving the environmental and mechanical performance of geopolymer composites. These results support the viability of oil palm frond as a sustainable additive in geopolymers, contributing to waste reduction and material innovation in construction.

Spirulina platensis protein-based emulsion gel as fat substitute in meat analogs: Evaluation performance across post-processing

In this paper, Spirulina platensis protein-based emulsion gels were investigated as fat substitutes in meat analogs and compared with conventional fat sources like palm oil, oleogel, and soybean oil. Evaluating parameters such as cooking loss, shrinkage, texture, appearance, and moisture distribution across various cooking methods. Emulsion gels imparted superior juiciness to meat analogs whereas palm oil and oleogel led to drier meat textures. Besides they also resulted in comparable cooking loss and shrinkage to traditional fats, indicating preferred fat options for incorporation of emulsion gels. The novel emulsion gel-filled meat analogs exhibited robust tolerance across three distinct cooking methods, boiling, steaming, and deep-frying. Steamed meat analogs exhibited brighter MRI signals, while fried counterparts displayed peripheral hollowing, attributed to steam's energy transfer and humidity-induced water migration, respectively. Overall, the study underscores the efficacy of these fat analogs in meat analogs, offering insights into their potential as viable alternatives in food formulations.

Experimental Investigation on Performance Characteristics o f Diesel Engine Using Various Blended Biodiesels

Objectives: To evaluate the performance characteristics of diesel engines through experimental research with various biodiesel blends. Method: Three types of oils were chosen for this study: waste cooking oil, waste chicken oil, and palm oil. The methyl esters were produced from waste chicken oil (COME), waste cooking oil (WCOME), and palm oil (POME). The test runs were done on a 4.5 kW direct injection, air-cooled, four-stroke, single-cylinder, and constant-speed diesel engine using varied fuel at maximum load. Findings: This study finds performance analysis for a variety of methyl esters and diesel. The Brake Thermal Efficiency (BTE) was found to be: for Diesel (33.36%), POME (30.53%), WCOME (27.5%), COME (25.0%) at rated power (4.5) K.W. The brake thermal efficiency for palm oil methyl esters is similar to the diesel compared to the other methyl esters. Novelty: This research study provides a comparison between the diesel and methyl esters of break thermal efficiency for diesel engines. Keywords: Diesel Engine, Trans esterification, Biodiesels, Performance characteristics

Spatial Analysis of Regional Planning Related to Moratorium Right to Cultivate (Plantation) in Indonesia

Indonesia is a country that is blessed by Allah Swt with a very large expanse of space and territory and is located on the equator surrounded by the sea. This is a natural resource that is very rarely owned by other countries, where the sun shines every year with high humidity. These resources are controlled by the state and used as much as possible for the welfare of the community. One of the related natural resources is plants that can grow well in the area. Oil palm is a plant originating from West Africa that is very suitable for growing in the equatorial area. Currently, Indonesia is the largest producer of palm oil in the world. The greatest utilization of this blessing are for the welfare of the community and based on sustainable Regional Spatial Planning. On its implementation the Regional Spatial Planning has been divided according to its function and sustainability. This condition is contrary to the current government policy, where the government has implemented a moratorium policy on new business use rights for the Plantation sector. The regulation was Presidential Instruction (Inpres) Number 8 of 2018. The purpose of the Moratorium is to control the deforestation of Primary Forests and also improve the Governance of Oil Palm Plantations. In its implementation, there are indeed successes and weaknesses. Successes are mainly in holding back the rate of deforestation or forest encroachment. The weakness is that in terms of Regional Spatial Planning, there should still be many areas that can be used for developing plantation land, especially unproductive and non-forest areas. So that the ideals of improving the welfare of the community can be truly realized.

Synthesis, Properties, and Techno-economic Analysis of Highly Stable Biotransformer Oil Derived from Transesterification of Palm Oil Methyl Esters and Ditrimethylolpropane.

Currently, biotransformer oil (BTO) is in high demand due to the increasing level of electrical power consumption and environmental policy. Hence, this research aimed to prepare a highly stable BTO via basic transesterification of palm oil methyl ester (POME) and ditrimethylolpropane (Di-TMP) catalyzed by sodium methoxide (NaOCH3). Under the optimal conditions (POME/Di-TMP molar ratio = 5.0/1.0, NaOCH3 loading = 8 mol % based on the Di-TMP content under 3.5 mbar, and 300 rpm at 160 °C for 2 h), the POME conversion level and POME-Di-TMPTTE selectivity reached 90.3% and 96.6%, respectively. The obtained BTO with a high POME-Di-TMPTTE portion exhibited greater oxidation stability with a higher flash point and breakdown voltage in accordance with the IEC 62770 specification. A techno-economic analysis revealed the possibility of POME-Di-TMPTTE as a commercial BTO for its competitive cost and profit based on the current commercial price of BTO.

Efficient elimination of 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol fatty acid ester from palm oil via using activated carbon grafted with Tween80.

In the current study, we attempt to remove 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol fatty acid ester (3-MCPD ester) from palm oil with developed composite adsorbent (Tween80 modified activated carbon [AC]), and scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectrometer, Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, nitrogen content adsorption-desorption and thermogravimetric analysis were used to characterize the modifications. We further examined the adsorption capability of the composite adsorbent for 3-MCPD ester and found that the highest removal efficiency was 87.36% (5.3% of adsorbent dose at 104°C for 29min). This is approximately three times higher than that of pristine AC, implying that the composite can be employed as a novel adsorbent for 3-MCPD ester reduction. Along with the adsorption mechanism of Langmuir, Freundlich, Dubinin-Radushkevich, and Temkin models were also tested. It has been suggested that Freundlich model could best describe the adsorption process. Adsorption was found to be well-fitted by pseudo-second-order kinetics according to the kinetic study. An endothermic and spontaneous adsorption mechanism was demonstrated by the thermodynamic studies.

The Influence Of Work Environment And Motivation On Employee Spirit At Pt Perkebunan Nusantara IV, Gunung Meliau Palm Oil Mill Work Unit

This study aims to identify and analyze the influence of the Work Environment and Motivation on the Work Spirit of employees at PT Perkebunan Nusantara IV, Gunung Meliau Palm Oil Mill Work Unit. The population in this study consists of 125 individuals, using a saturated sampling technique. Data collection techniques in this study include interviews and questionnaires. The analytical tools used in this research are instrument tests, classical assumption tests, multiple linear regression analysis, correlation coefficients, determination coefficients, F-tests, and T-tests. The results of the study show that the work environment and motivation affect work spirit both simultaneously and partially. Therefore, to enhance work spirit, both the work environment and motivation must be well managed

Plant Sterol-Enriched Palm Oil Intervention to Improve Lipid Profile and Inflammation Status in Hyperlipidemic Individuals.

Background: Cardiovascular diseases, including coronary heart disease (CHD), are currently positioned among the leading causes of mortality globally. Risk factors of CHD include, among others, hypercholesterolemia and elevations in systemic inflammation. Functional foods enriched with compounds showing cholesterol-lowering effects are considered one among various dietary and lifestyle intervention strategies to tackle this problem. A CHD-preventive effect of dietary plant sterols has been broadly discussed, not only due to their ability to reduce blood cholesterol level, but also to their proven anti-inflammatory potential. Palm oil is one of the most widely consumed edible oils in the world. Despite its widespread use, especially in Asian countries, no study has been conducted using palm oil as a vehicle for plant sterols. Methods: The aim of the placebo-controlled double-blinded trial presented here was, therefore, to evaluate the effect of palm oil enriched with plant sterols, used as a cooking oil, on lipid profile and systemic inflammation marker in 100 adult hyperlipidemic residents of Bogor, Indonesia. Results: The study has shown a significant reduction in total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol level in study subjects consuming plant sterol-enriched palm oil as a replacement for usual palm oil for cooking, with no similar effect on CRP levels. Conclusions: The study suggests that, along with a healthy diet and lifestyle promotion, incorporating plant sterols in palm oil used for cooking may be an effective strategy to reduce cardiovascular risks in hyperlipidemic individuals.

Flammable futures—storylines of climatic impacts on wildfire events and palm oil plantations in Indonesia

Abstract Wildfire events are driven by complex interactions of climate and anthropogenic interventions. Predictions of future wildfire events, their extremity, and their impact on the environment and economy must consider the interactions between these drivers. Economic policy and land use decisions influence the susceptibility of an area to climate extremes, the probability of burning, and future decision making. To better understand how climate-driven drought events and adaptation efforts affect burned area, agricultural production losses, and land use decisions, we developed a storyline approach centered on Indonesia’s 2015 fire events, which saw significant (&gt;5%) production losses of palm oil. We explored analogous events under three warming conditions and two storylines (multi-model ensemble mean climate change and high impact). We employed a model chain consisting of CMIP6 climate modeling to quantify climate change impacts, a wildfire climate impacts and adaptation model (FLAM) to predict burned areas, and the Global Biosphere Management Model (GLOBIOM) to predict resultant production losses and socio-economic consequences in the oil palm sector in Indonesia and, by extension, the EU. FLAM is a mechanistic fire model used to reproduce and project wildfires based on various criteria and input variables; GLOBIOM is a global economic land use model, which assesses land use competition and provides economic impacts based on scenario data. We found that total burned area and production loss can increase by up to 25% and lead to local price increases up to 70%, with only minor differences beyond 2.5 degrees of warming. Our results highlight the importance of considering the interactions of future warming, drought conditions, and extreme weather events when predicting their impacts on oil palm losses and burned area. This study sets the stage for further exploration on the impacts of land management policies on local and international environments and economies in the context of global warming.

Processing practices and quality of crude palm oil produced on a small scale in Valença, Bahia, Brazil

Processing practices and quality of crude palm oil produced on a small scale in Valença, Bahia, Brazil

Wild pigs influence tropical forest soil microbial communities in a forest-agriculture mosaic landscape

Edge effects, the altered abiotic and biotic conditions on the borders of natural areas, have rarely been linked to altered soil biota, which shape ecosystem processes including carbon storage, biogeochemical cycling, and plant performance. Here, we investigated if increased wildlife populations (their increase mediated by foraging in nearby oil palm plantations) affect soil biota when they move between plantations and natural habitats. We used a 22-year fenced exclusion experiment in a primary rain forest in Peninsular Malaysia. We found that the presence of wildlife (mainly native pigs; Sus scrofa) was associated with greater bacterial diversity, an altered bacterial community composition, and indications of a reduced abundance of symbiotic ectomycorrhizal fungi. There were only minor effects of pigs on soil chemistry or microclimate, so we suggest that changes in soil communities are driven by pigs’ leaf litter removal and alterations to plant composition. Our study highlights that indirect effects from agriculture can be induced by wildlife more than1 km into protected areas and this could have important repercussions for ecosystem processes and plant-soil feedbacks.

Testing Pellets Fuel Production from Sewage Sludge of Palm Oil Industry

The wastes from the palm oil production process were used in this study, such as wastewater sludge and cake decenter or decanter waste. That moisture was less than 40% and increased density by the cold pelletizing process. The aim is to use pellet fuel for heating. Analysis of pellet fuel consists of physical properties, proximate (moisture, ash, volatile matter and fixed carbon) and heating value. The results showed that cake decenter and wastewater sludge had similar high volatile matter. The decenter cake had a higher heating value than the wastewater sludge at 26.649 and 14.965 MJ/kg, respectively. The ash of decenter cake was lower than wastewater at 11.71% and 22.34%, respectively. Blending both raw materials for pelletization increased the volatile matter that did not mix with another material. Therefore, both materials can be used to produce pellet fuel that has an optimal shape and size. That was hard to break. The results of chemical property testing show that it is within acceptable limits and can be used as pellet fuel.

Plant Growth-promoting Potential of Oil Palm Boiler Ash-based Organomineral Fertilizer for Green Mustard Cultivation Under Reduced Urea Dose in Ultisols

This study aims to demonstrate the capability of Oil Palm Boiler Ash (OPBA)-based organomineral fertilizer (OMF) to maintain the growth, green biomass yield, and N uptake of green mustard under a reduced N application rate. This research was carried out from March to May 2021 in a research area in Bengkulu City with a Randomly Complete Block Design scheme and three replications. The treatment consisted of P0 = control (without OMF or urea), P1 = 200 kg urea ha−1, P2 = 325 kg OMF ha−−1 + 50 kg urea ha−−1, P3 = 650 kg OMF ha−−1 + 50 kg urea ha−−1, P4 = 975 kg OMF ha−−1 + 50 kg urea ha−−1, and P5 = 1300 kg OMF ha−−1 + 50 kg urea ha−−1. The results showed that the growth and green biomass yield increased as the application rate of OMF increased. Treatment of P5 produced the highest growth, green biomass yield, and N uptake, equivalent to P2 treatment. The green biomass yield at P5 was 161% higher than that at P0. Therefore, OMF has the potential to promote the agronomic performances of green mustard under 50% reduced N dose in Ultisols. Keywords: slow release fertilizer, nutrient management, oil palm waste, organic pellet fertilizer, green mustard

Conversion of Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch Fiber Waste into Green Liquid Organic Fertilizer

Solid wastes generated from the oil palm industry contain valuable nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium that can significantly enhance plant growth and potentially elevate fertilizer production. This study aims to identify the optimal formulation of liquid organic fertilizer (LOF) derived from oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) fiber waste. Three formulations of LOF were prepared, comprising OPEFB waste, molasses, noni fruit, and cattle urine, designated as Formulation A, B, and C. These formulations underwent a 14-day anaerobic incubation period. The formulated OPEFB LOF was then analyzed for nutrient content, electrical conductivity, and total dissolved solids. This study also examines the soil properties and plant growth outcomes following the application of the formulated OPEFB LOF. The results indicated that Formulation A exhibited the highest nutrient concentrations, specifically 485 ppm nitrogen, 95 ppm phosphorus, and 1007 ppm potassium. In comparison to the other two OPEFB LOF formulations, Formulation A showed the lowest values for total dissolved solids (502 ppm) and electrical conductivity (8.14 dS/m). The findings demonstrated that Formulation A displayed the most favorable growth characteristics in terms of leaf count, plant height, leaf length, and leaf width. This is attributed to the nitrogen-boosting properties of cattle urine, along with the complementary effects of molasses and noni fruit as soil improver and bio-activator. This study confirms the viability of utilizing green organic fertilizer derived from OPEFB substrate in agriculture, replacing conventional inorganic fertilizers.

Performance Comparison of Selected Filters in Fast Denoising of Oil Palm Hyperspectral Data

Usually, hyperspectral data captured from an airborne UAV or satellite contain some noise that can be severe in some channels. Often, channels that are badly affected by the noise are discarded. This is because the corrupted channels cannot be reclaimed by common filtering techniques, making important information in the affected channels different from those of field spectroscopy of similar wavelengths. In this study, a fast-denoising method is implemented on some channels of oil palm hyperspectral data that are badly affected by noise. The amount of noise is unknown, and it varies across the noisy channels from bad to severe. This is different from the data normally used by many studies, which are essentially clean data spiked with mild noise of known variance. The process starts by identifying which noisy channels to filter based on the level of the estimated noise in them. Then, filtering is conducted within each channel and across channels. Once the noise is removed, the improvement in signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is calculated for each channel. The performance of Kalman, Wiener, Savitzky–Golay, wavelet, and cosine filters is tested in the same framework and the results are compared in terms of execution time, signal-to-noise ratio, and visual quality. The results show that the Kalman filter slightly outperformed the other filters. The proposed scheme was implemented using MATLAB R2023b running on an Intel i7 processor, and the average execution time was less than 1 second for each channel. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first attempt to filter real oil palm hyperspectral data containing speckle noise using a Kalman filter. This technique can be a useful tool to those working in the oil palm industry.

Evaluating the efficacy of palm waste in adsorption processes for wastewater treatment: A review

AbstractThe growing environmental concerns related to industrial effluents and waste underscore the urgent need for sustainable and cost‐effective wastewater treatment solutions. This review investigates the efficacy of palm waste‐derived adsorbents for removing heavy metals and organic pollutants from wastewater. It explores various modifications—including physical, chemical, and nanomaterial enhancements—applied to palm waste materials such as palm kernel shells, empty fruit bunches, and palm oil fuel ash, aimed at improving their adsorption capacities. The review reveals that these modified palm waste adsorbents demonstrate high removal efficiencies for contaminants like Cu(II), Pb(II), and organic dyes, often surpassing conventional adsorbents. Nonetheless, challenges remain, such as optimizing adsorbent preparation, understanding adsorption mechanisms in multi‐component systems, and enhancing adsorbent reusability. This review highlights the need for continued research to address these issues and advance the application of palm waste‐based materials in sustainable wastewater treatment.

Fresh and Hardened Properties of Alkali-Activated POFA-GGBFS Pastes Cured in Ambient Temperature – An Initial Mix Design

Weak soils are characterised by their high compressibility and low shear strength, which requires stabilisation to improve their compaction and strength characteristics before being used for construction projects. Recent trends in soil stabilisation show an increased interest in the application of waste-derived geopolymers as low-carbon materials to address the carbon emission problem related to cement production. This paper presents the preliminary findings of using Palm Oil Fuel Ash (POFA) and Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBFS) binary blends as geopolymer precursor materials. These binary waste material blends were activated using alkaline solutions, namely Sodium Hydroxide (NH) and Sodium Silicate (NS), to synthesise geopolymers at ambient temperatures. Three main factors were considered for the optimisation of the geopolymer mix design, as recommended by past research: alkali equivalent (8-11.5%), activator modulus (0-0.7), and slag replacement (fixed at 30%). Alkali equivalent and activator modulus parameters were varied and tested to establish its initial and final setting times, workability and strength properties, while the slag replacement percentage was set at 30%. This study aimed to determine the most influential parameters to produce the geopolymer material with the highest compressive strength and satisfactory setting times and workability. Single-source alkali activators (NH only) used on POFA-GGBFS produced specimens with smaller flow diameters, longer initial and final setting times, and lower compressive strength than specimens activated with NH and NS. Geopolymer specimens synthesised with NH and NS produce stiffer compounds possessing higher compressive strength values and explosive-type failure modes due to their higher silica content. At ambient temperatures, TM-Mix 2 (7% alkali equivalent and 0.7 activator modulus) produced the highest compressive strength value of 67.3 MPa at 28 days curing, flow diameter of 227 mm, with the initial and final setting time of 25 minutes and 45 minutes, respectively. Consequently, the results show that the preliminary POFA-GGBFS geopolymer mix design could produce sustainably sourced geopolymer compounds with adequate strength and acceptable setting time and workability. This study is part of a current investigation to further optimise the POFA-GGBFS mix design for the purpose of weak soil stabilisation.

Effects of substitution of crude palm oil with palm-pressed fibre oil on the laying hen's performance, egg production and egg quality traits.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of substituting a crude palm oil (CPO) diet with palm-pressed fibre oil (PPFO) on laying hens' performance, egg production, carcass characteristic and egg quality. A total of 150 Hisex Brown laying hens were randomly assigned to five treatments: a basal diet containing 4% CPO (T1-control) and basal diets in which CPO was substituted by 25% (T2), 50% (T3), 75% (T4) or 100% (T5) PPFO. These diets were fed to laying hens ad libitum for 16 weeks. Compared to the T1 diet, dietary treatments T2, T3 and T4 had no significant effect (P > 0.05) on the feed intake, body weight gain, feed conversion ratio, egg number, egg production, egg weight and egg mass of the laying hens during the entire experimental period. Nonetheless, a significant (P < 0.05) reduction in feed intake, egg number, egg production and egg mass were observed in hens fed T5 compared to those fed the T1 (control) diet. Except for heart and spleen weights, other carcass characteristics were not affected by treatment (P < 0.05). Skin yellowness and breast meat redness increased significantly (linearly, P < 0.05) with increasing proportions of PPFO. Likewise, yolk colour scores increased in proportion to the dietary level of PPFO (linearly, P < 0.05). These findings suggest that PPFO can be used as a novel, cost-effective lipid source at a level of 3% in layer diets as a substitute for CPO to improve eggs' quality parameters without any harmful effects on laying performance.